Wall panel



M. 1. DIGGS WALL PANEL Dec. 10, 1946.

Filed Dec. 17, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M. DIGGS WALL PANEL Dec. 10; 1946.

Filed Dec. 17, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 latented 10, 1946 WALL PANEL MauryI. Diggs, New Orleans, La., assignor' to Higgins Industries, Inc., NewOrleans, La., a corporation of Louisiana I Application December 17,1945,Serial No. 635,525

9 Claims.

'all around so that an integral wall core may be formed by pouringconcrete in the space defined within a plurality of such panels arrangedcontiguously.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wall panel comprislngapair of spaced parallel Figure 3 is a section taken along the line 33 ofFigure 1, the lower part of the panel being broken away;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the inside of one of the panelsheets, showing a finger unit in fiat condition;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional .view of one of the panel sheets,taken diametrically through one of the finger units, showing the fingersbent up from the plane of the sheet;

Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view, partly in section, showing thecooperative relationship of the finger units of the respective panelsheets,

and the spacing collar, in forming the bonding metallic sheets, eachhaving fixed thereto a plul5 p a rality of spaced inwardly projectingfingers, the Figure 7 is a diametrical cross-section through spacingpattern for the cooperating sheets being the bonding pillar, thecementitious filling being so related that corresponding fingers of 'thereomitted; f spective sheets lie in juxtaposition, each group Figure 8is a top plan view of a, wall portion ing of juxtaposed fingers beingembedded in a pillar 2o eluding a corner, fabricated from contiguouswall of set cement, whereby the fingers are bonded panels; in fixedposition and the sheets thereby fixedly Figure 9 is a perspective viewof a clip for sesecured in spaced relation. curing adjacent wall panelsin end to end abut- A further object of the invention is to providement; I a wall panel, as above described, in which the Figure 10 is aperspective view of a corner clip. groups of juxtaposed fingers aresurrounded by Referring now to the drawings, the wall panelv collarswhich may be cheaply made of paper or I, comprises two spaced sheets 2and 3, of metal, fiberboard, of uniform height, which determinecongruently arranged in spaced parallel relation. the parallel spacingof the sheets, and which The margins of the sheets are folded twice, atserve as forms into which the pillars of cement right angles, to 'givethe panel flat side andv end are cast about the juxtaposed fingers.faces in a width direction, and to form channel Still another object ofthe invention is to proflanges 4, extending around all sides of thesheets, vide a wall panel as described, in which the bonddefining aninner peripheral channel 5. The ing fingers are tack-welded to therespective flanges 4 face inwardly when the sheets are set sheets infiat position, and later bent up from up in the panel bounding an openslot 6, which the surface of the sheet preparatory to assemextends aboutthe entire perimeter of the panel. bling the panel. This permits thesheet to be Each sheet is provided on its inner face, at handled fiat infurther processing, as for example, spaced intervals, bot'iinlengthwiseand widthwise, to receive the frit when the outer faces of the withfinger units 1. By -way of example, for an sheets are to be porcelainenameled, and permits 40 8 by 4' sheet there may be'fifty finger units,unithe sheets to be stacked fiat for transportion to formly spacedapart, five to a row widthwise, the the place where the panel isassembled. spacing pattern being identical for all sheets of Otherobjects of the invention will appear as a size, and equidistant fromopposite edges, so the following description of a preferred and thatregardless of how the length dimension of practical embodiment thereofproceeds. the sheets of a pair are relatively oriented in con- In thedrawings which accompany and form a structing the panel, the spacingcenters of the part of the following specification; clips, for bothsheets, will be in precise transverse Figure 1 is a perspective view ofa wall panel, ali embodying the principles of the invention, the Figure4 Shows t n r nits e intermediate portion being broken away, and the inthe flat, consist of a sheet metal base plate spacing pattern for thebonding fingers being inin the form of a ring 8, having stampedoutfindicated; gers 9, with arcuate base portions in emanating Figure 2 isa, section taken along the line 2-2 from corresponding sides ofoutwardly extendin of Figure '1, showing also part of an adjacentwelding lugs 8a and which follow the curvature wall panel; I of thering, and tangentially extending end por- 3 tions Ii, the tangential endportions extending in the same direction with respect to thecircumference of the ring. The end portions each preferably terminatesin an enlarged head l2.

. The fingers 9 are displaced at 90 intervals, and have weakened foldlines l3, defining their bases,

diametrically opposite fold lines being parallel to a diameter 'of thering.

The clips I are positioned concentric with the spacing centers, andoriented until the fold lines l3. at the bases of opposite pairs offingers are offset with respect to diameters of the ring paraliel to therespective length and width dimensions of the sheet. This assures thatwhen the complementary sheet is in position, the fingers of therespective sheets'will be out of meta-lliccontact, as shown in Figure 7.The finger units are the fingers 9 being left free. The finger units arearranged identically on both sheets, so that all then tack-welded to thesheet, as indicated at H, Y

of the fingers of all of the finger units extend in l the samedirection, that is, all clockwiseor all counterclockwise.

The finger units 1 are left fiat until the time comes to assemble thesheets into a wall panel. when in flat position they are below the levelof the flanges 4, so that they create no impediment to the flat handlingor stacking of the sheets. A

large stock of identical sheets may be prepared at one place and shippedstacked fiat to the place a of assembling. Since the spacing pattern issymmetrical with respect to the opposite sides of the sheet, there is noproblem in matching the ends of the sheet in setting up the panel. Tofabricate the panel, all of the fingers 9 of the sheet are bent outperpendicular to the plane of the sheet along the fold lines l3, bymeans of pliers or a special tool. The perpendicular fingers will be 1in groups of four, one group for each finger unit, two of which fingerswill have their width dimensioned parallel to the length edges of thesheet, while two will be parallel to the width edges.

Collars or tubes I5 are provided for each group,

. said collars being in the form of cylinders of uniform height, open atboth ends and of a diameter to snugly embrace the fingers about their 3arcuate portions 9 and to enclose thearcuate ends l3a of the lugs 8a.The cylinders may be t of plural ply paper, waterproofed with shellac.

One of the sheets is now laid flat with the fingers uppermost, and acollar I5 is slipped over each group of four fingers until the lower'endof the collar rests upon the sheet. The collars are self-centering,since they are guided by the cam surfaces afiorded by the arcuateportions In of the fingers. Now, a settable cement composition whichpreferably has thermal insulation properties, is poured into each collarin plastic state, to fill the same and to embed the fingers.

' The tangential portions ll of the fingers extend inwardly toward theaxis of the group and are deeply embedded in the cement. The-heads l2assist in keying the fingers in the cement. Next, he complementary sheetwith projecting fingers ,is inverted and brought down parallel and con-V erect, are parallel respectively to the length and width dimensions ofthe sheet, and since they I are offset from diameters through thespacing centers parallel to the respective length and width dimensionsof the panel, the interleaved fingers from opposite sheets willbearranged in the bonding pillar in pairs, as shown in Figure '7, thefingers of opp ite pairs lying in I spaced parallel planes, thepairsbeing 90 displaced. This arrangement affords maximum re-'inforcement against shearing stresses transmitted through the sheetscomprising the panel;

as well as stresses tending to separate the sheet. .Weights are placedupon the top sheet sumcient to hold it in contact with all vof thecollars while the cement is setting. This straightens out any wind inthe sheets incident to the stamping of the peripheral flanges, orwarping imparted during the process of porcelain enameling, so

that the faces of the panel are in true planes. I

When the cement in the collars has become set, the weights are removedand the panels are complete.

Figure 3 shows that when the fingers I are bent into erect position,the-arcuate base portions 9 cause the tangential end portions ll, Fi ure4, to become deflected inwardly toward the axis of the bonding pillar ofcement which embeds the fingers, and since it is the tangential.

portions of the fingers of the respective sheets which interdigitate,these embrace and confine a portion of the cementitious mass so as tocause it to compressively resist any force tending to separate thevsheets in the direction of the thickness dimension of the panel.

It is preferred to cast marginal tie wires in the panel, useful forreinforcing the poured concontiguous panels, in the wall. This is doneby perforating some or all of the collars I! in the peripheral border ofthe spacing pattern, as indicated at II in Figure 2, and inserting thelegs or wire loops l8 through said perforations, so' as to enter orintersect the space within said collars.

position and the loops thus fixed. Thebights of the loops $10178 of thewall-panel, as shown in Figure 1, but for convenience in handling thepanel, they may be temporarily bent so as to lie within the confines ofI the panel.

The wall panels may be variously arranged in fabricating them into awall, one of which arrangementa for example, is shown in Figure 2, inwhich two panels I and, la are shown, placed in endwise juxtapositionwithadiacent fiat faces in abutment, being temporarily secured togetherby the resilient clips l9, which spring over adjacent flanges 4. One ofthese clips is shown in perspective in Figure .9, having flared sides29,

. crete mass which intersects the joints between The legs becomeembedded in thecementcoml8 extend beyond the peripheral which spreadwhen the .clip is pressed against the flanges l, to let the flanges intothe channel seats 2|. The reinforcing wire loops l8 are shown extendingfrom the respective panels,- each into the peripheral channel 8 of theother panel, l in lapped relation intersecting the plane of the joint'22between the panels. Concrete is poured into the space defined within thecontiguous panels and about the binding pillars forming an integral wallcore. Thus the panels function as self sustaining forms for theconcrete, no other forms being required. The concrete, is preferably ofheat insulating nature.

Figure 8 shows a wall arrangement, includin a corner, formed by thepanel lb, placed at right angles to the panel I. with adjacent inneredges of said panels in linear abutment. These edges are temporarilyheld together by a corner-clip 23, shown in perspective in Figure 10,having sides 24, which spread when pressed against the flanges E to letthe bases of. said flanges into the channel seats 25. The sides are thenbent to embrace the ends of the flanges 4, as indicated at 26 in Figure8. The outside of the corner is closed by an arcuate sheet 21, havinglongitudinal rabbets 29 terminating in flanges 30. This sheet isslidably inserted from the top between the adjacent outer corners ofthepanels I and lb. The

reinforcing wire loops l8 overlap in the corner When the concrete ispoured in, it forms a mono-' lithic wall core extending about thecorner. K,

In addition to providing continuity of the space within contiguous wallpanels, the peripheral channel 6 which surrounds each Panel. af-

fords means for adjustably positioning and retaining adjunctive devicessuch as the roof rafter bolster Bl, shown in Figure 3. This consists ofa sheet metal member having an upper convex rafter seat 32, of a widthto overlie the peripheral channel 6, having longitudinal right-angledrabbets forming seats which rest upon the upper ends of the respectivesheets of the wall panel and terminate in flanges 33, which press theinner sides of adjacent flanges 4 of the -wall panel through inherentresiliency. These flanges are thrust down into the soft concrete withinthe wall panel. The top of the bolster is formed with holes 34, throughwhich more concrete may be introduced to fill the space within thebolster and unify it with the panel when the concrete has set. Theconvex shape of the rafter .seat permits rafters to be supported upon itat various pitch angles.

The invention contemplates making the faces lain enameled, or either orboth faces may .be of stainless steel, plain metal bonderized for, wallpaper, canvased or stippled, or provided with any type of finish thatmay be desired.

The panel construction is adapted for floors as well as walls, and formany other uses.

While I have in the above description disclosed what I believe to be apreferred and practical embodiment of the invention, it will beunderstood to those skilled in the art that the details of constructionand arrangement of parts are by wayof example and not ing the scope ofthe invention.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Wall panel comprising a pair of spaced sheets having bonding pillarsbetween them at various points, said bonding pillars comprising spacingtubes of uniform length against the end of which the sheets abut, acementitious mass within said spacing tubes, and fingers juxtaposedwithin said spacing tubes fixed to the respective sheets and embedded inthe cementitious mass.

2. Wall panel comprising a pair of spaced metal sheets having bondingpillars between them at various points, said bonding pillars comprisingspacing tubes of uniformlen th a ain t the ends of which the sheetsabut, a cementitious mass within said spacing tubes and metal fingersjuxtaposed within said spaclngtubes, fixed to the respective sheets andembeddedin the cementitious mass.

3. Wall panel comprising a pair of spaced sheets of the same size andshape, each having a peripheral fiange to one side, perpendicular to theplane of said sheet, the free end of said to be construed aslimit- "ofthe panels with a plain metal finish or porcesurrounding peripheral slotbounded by said side flanges, bonding pillars between said sheets atvarious points, said bonding pillars comprising spacing tubes of uniformlength against the ends of which said sheets abut, each spacing tubecontainlng a cementitious mass, and fingers juxtaposed withln saidspacing tubes fixed to the respective sheets and embedded in thecementitious mass.

4. Wall panel comprising a pair of spaced sheets oi the same size andshape, each having a, peripheral flange to one side, perpendicular tothe plane of said sheet, the free endof said flange being lnbent to forma side flange parallel to the plane of said sheet, said sheets beingpositioned congru'ently in spaced relation to form a. surroundingperipheral slot bounded by said side flanges, bonding pillars betweensaid sheets at various points, said bonding pillars comprisin spacingtubes of unlformlength against the ends of which said sheets abut, eachspacing tube containing a body of cem'entitious mass, and surroundinggroups of fingers fixed to the respective sheets, extending into thespacing tube from 0D- poslte ends into juxtaposition within said tube, v

rounding peripheral slot bounded by said side flanges, bonding pillarsbetween said sheets at various points, said bonding pillars comprisingspacing tubes of uniform length against the ends of which said sheetsabut, each spacing tube containing a cementitious mass and surroundinggroups of fingers of sheet material fixed to the respective sheets,extending into the spacing tube from opposite ends into juxtapositionwithin said tube and embedded in the cementitlous mass, said fingersbeing arranged with the major crosssectional dimension of some parallelto the length, and some parallel to the width, of said panel.

drical spacing tubes and united by cementitious pillars within saidspacing tubes which embed I fingers projecting from both face elements,said face element comprising a metal sheet having. a peripheral flangesurrounding one side thereof, a plurality of finger units eachcomprising a base plate, a plurality of fingers pliably joined theretoat their base ends, said fingers being of greater length than thedepth-of said flange, said base plate being welded to theflange-surrounded side of said face element at points adjacent the baseends of said fingers.

8. In a wall panel of the type described, a face element comprising ametal sheet having a peripheral flange surrounding one side thereof, a

plurality of finger units, each comprising a base 6 flange being inbentto form a side flange parallel 7 plate having welding lugs extendingoutwardly beyond the periphery thereof at uniform circumierentiallyspaced intervals. said base plate being welded to the flange-surroundedside of said sheet at points in said lugs, and fingers integral withsaid lugs extending from a corresponding side of each in a directionaway from said sheet in planes. substantially perpendicular thereto,

' said fingers extending outwardly beyond the out "ermost ends of therespective adjacent lugs.

9. Wall panel comprising a Pair of spaced sheets having bonding pillarsbetween them at points, said bondi pillars comprising spacing tubes ofuniform lensth against the ends or which the sheets abut. a setcementitious mass within said spacing tubes, each bonding v axis ofsaidpillar."

MAURY I. DIGGS.

